Toot toot chugga chugga

Was a wild and exhausting day for all of us. We went to ride on THOMAS! Well, we didn't actually ride on Thomas...more like behind him. I would think that the ride itself would be anticlimactic for a three year old. You're not actually riding Thomas, and when you're in the passenger car, you can't really see Thomas. And it's not like Thomas has a signature voice, so he's not talking to you either. So really, what you're doing is riding this rickety old passenger car for about fifteen minutes, staring out the window at beautiful, scenic Perris, CA, while adults try to overcompensate for the experience ("Ooooh! Look, let's wave frantically at everyone we're passing by on the train because dammit we've got to get our sixteen dollars' worth of train experience in somehow!!! Say hi to everyone, Trevor dearie!!!!").

Actually it was funny to watch parents' enthusiasm surpassing their kids'. This usually happens, I believe, at things like parades, visits with Santa/Easter bunny/etc., and events that parents can't believe they're shelling out the big $$$ for (can we say Wiggles concert??? At $50/ticket, including any child over 12 months, someone better be having a good time...)

I have to admit that the Thomas day wasn't that bad. The railway museum had lots of old cars, and working streetcars. I would probably take Michael back on a non-Thomas day to look around and talk with the grumpy old guys who volunteer. My son's favorite part? The signal garden-- a little garden where they had different types of railway signals and traffic lights that you could turn on with buttons. I think he spent about ten minutes here...my kid's a traffic light enthusiast-- really. He builds them with his Duplos, then lines them all up.

Evan is enjoying the weekend off. This is part of his birthday gift-- Friday evening, Saturday, and part of Sunday, kid-free. I asked him what the cash value of this would be...he said $200. Yeah right...not with two kids waking up at different times in the middle of the night (2am, 4am, 6:45am...). I think he's seeing Harry Potter and getting lots of sleep. Sad what becomes so absolutely wonderful and luxurious once you have kids (A trip to the grocery store without a toddler??? Woohoo! AND I can go and grab lunch without having to wait for someone to get tired of playing in the fountain??? All right!!!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVAN AND I EXPECT SOMETHING SIMILAR ONCE SMALL-AND-AWFUL-NUMBER-TWO WEANS!!!

Whoops, naptime is over. Next chapter-- toy catalogs in the mail. Yipe.